CJ NELSON

I have learned that life is all about relationships, transitions, and reinventing ourselves; rejoicing in the victories, and pushing through the failures and disappointments. Points of transition often include elements of joy mixed with pain, and letting loose of some things in order to grasp others. I am blessed to arrive at this point in my life, having gone through a number of transitions to arrive at a state of clarity, peace, and purpose, and enjoying some of the most precious and pure relationships I have ever known.

One of the reasons why surfing is a way of life for all of us is because it mirrors life so wonderfully. Days of perfect glassy waves can be followed by days of blown out storm surf, and a lot of days with conditions somewhere between the extremes. Days that are pure fun, and others that challenge us to our limits. The correlation between surfing and life is clear and natural.

Moving forward in life and surfing requires that, while staying true to my core path and honoring tradition, I remain open. Open to new ideas. Open to new ways of doing things. Open to new ways of solving problems. Evolving in life and evolving in my surfing.

This philosophy has driven me to expand my surfing from what was once an almost singular focus on nose riding and serious traditional surfing to riding all kinds of boards with my primary focus on function and fun. The result is that I’m enjoying surfing more than ever. In addition to the variety and ability to take on more varied conditions, mixing it up has made me a better and much happier surfer as a whole. I’m so stoked to discover these truths and put them into practice. Variety and change is not only the spice of life, it has helped me become a better surfer, and a better person.

The open mind is a free mind. The freedom of thought and clarity that I now enjoy has allowed me to become exposed to even more options in my surfing life. I have reinvented my personal quiver of boards from the ground up. Working with Aussie shaper Ian Chisholm, we have created some of the most functional traditional boards I have ever ridden, a select number of which will be offered in the near future.

On top of that, we have been testing, then building the incredible Thunderbolt Epoxy Matrix technology line of surfboards featured on this website. Ian and I have designed and built these wonderful boards from the inside out, allowing us to take full advantage of advanced materials and constructions. The results are hand built surfboards that are super strong, properly weighted for their purpose, and beautiful to look at. Without question, these are the most advanced surfboards I have ever ridden.

Whether traditional polyester or Epoxy Matrix, all of our boards exude grace and style, with function being the underlying focus of our design. If durability and performance are what you’re looking for, then look no further.

My life has been a unique adventure and I look forward to the future with humble thanks and full knowledge that blessings, friends, and grace that have carried me this far. I am so greatly honored to be able to offer you these slices of my personal happiness and invite you to open your mind, honor tradition, try new things. Expand how you surf, how you live, who you are. Lets evolve our sport together...